http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/15713 2026-04-05T20:20:55Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/19058 CULTURAL PRACTICES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE RETENTION OF PUPILS IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL NAROK WEST SUB-COUNTY, KENYA CHEPKORIR MALEL Education is a powerful weapon for slaughtering change, for humanity's dignity and equity of opportunity, and for fair distribution of resources among individuals and communities. Indeed, many more children are enrolled in primary schools in Kenya, although this does not necessarily guarantee the children admission to higher levels of learning. For example, Narok West Sub- County is totally rural and as such; socio-cultural and economic impediments hinder the education benefits in relation to continuation and retention. The study investigated how cultural practices influences pupil retention in public primary schools. Specifically, it examined the impact of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), early marriages, nomadic pastoralism, and poverty on retention. The study was anchored on Participation-Identification Theory which states continued engagement and identification with the school activities by learners are prerequisite elements that contribute to retention in school. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, as the sample studied by the study comprised 11 head teachers, 11 class teachers, 357 upper-primary pupils, and selected community opinion leaders. Structured questionnaires were used for data collection in closed-ended, open-ended, and matrix type questions. Quantitative data were analyzed through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and converted into frequencies, percentages, and descriptive statistics which were presented in tables and graphs. The qualitative findings were transcribed, coded, and thematically analyzed so as to augment and deepen the quantitative findings. This study reveals that the two major vicious cultural practices of FGM and early marriage have possibly impeded this education among learners. They interfere with school calendars, instituting a culture of social expectations and norms that keep girls out of school and engender negative perceptions about continued education. Additionally, nomadic pastoralism and poverty have been cited as barriers to children's attendance at schools and, at most, intensifying limitation of resource generation needed for study by pastoral-raised children. Individually and jointly, they act as structural barriers to retention and compound gender disparity. Indeed, the retention problem is rooted well in the socio-cultural and economic structures, with girls suffering disproportionately negative impacts. These barriers denying fair access to education for all threaten the broad plans of Kenya for inclusive and sustainable development. Mobilizing communities against the adverse effects of FGM and early marriages is quite imperative. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/15685 INFLUENCE OF FAMILY FACTORS ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NAROK SOUTH SUB-COUNTY, NAROK COUNTY, KENYA. MAURINE CHELIMO At several academic levels, studies on factors influencing academic success have been conducted and most of these studies have concentrated on family Socio Economic Status and school factors. However, not all the factors outside school environment that negatively or positively influence students’ academic performance have been covered. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine the influence of selected family factors on academic performance of secondary school students in Narok South Sub-County, Narok County. The study objectives included: To establish how the family type influences the academic performance of secondary school students, to determine how family type and parental education level influences the academic performance of secondary school students, to examine how the family type and parental involvement influences academic performance of secondary school students and finally to find out if the family type and family size influences academic performance of secondary school students in Narok South Sub County. The research adopted Social Cognitive Theory of 2002 propounded by Albert Bandura. In addition, the study used descriptive research design. The study's target population consisted of 29 public secondary schools in Narok South Sub-County with a total of 1081 form three learners, 232 teachers and approximately 300 parents. The study used a sample of nine schools with 137 students, 24 teachers, and 30 parents. Simple random sampling method was used to select the nine schools and purposive sampling method was used to select students and parents. Data from teachers and students were collected using a questionnaire (teacher and student questionnaire) and data from parents was collected through an interview schedule. Validity of instruments was measured by checking on the content with the help of experts from the department. Data was analyzed both descriptively and inferentially. Descriptive data was analyzed using frequency, percentages while t test and Chi square was used to analyze inferential statistics and establish the relationship between the selected family factors and academic performance of students. The hypothesis on the correlation between family type and students’ academic performance was tested using a t-test, the hypothesis on the relationship between parental level of education, parental participation and family size and academic performance was tested using the Chisquare. The findings of the study showed that the family type had no significant influence on the academic performance of students with 0.713 at 0.05 level of significance. On parental level of education, the findings indicated that there is significance difference on the influence of mothers education from monogamy and polygamous family in favour of polygamous family with 0.051 at 0.05 level of significance, and on the fathers education level there was a significant difference between monogamous and polygamous family in favour of monogamous family , with 0.014 at 0.05 level of significance parental participation and family size had no statistical significant influence on the academic performance of the students from both polygamous and monogamous families with 1.0 at 0.05. Conclusion based on the study was that the family type, parental participation and family size did have no statistical significant influence on the students ’academic performance but parental level of education had a positive influence on the academic performance. The study recommends that parents should be sensitize on the need to participate and support their children academically and that further research on other family factors be done so as to have a clear picture of the influence of family. The outcomes are expected to be beneficial to school administrators, planners, parents and also the students. 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/12357 EFFECTS OF SELECTED PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN KENYA CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IN PUBLIC DAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MARANI SUB COUNTY, KISII COUNTY, KENY CHRISTINE MWIKALI MUOKI Psychosocial factors have effects in the students’ Academic Performance in Marani Sub- County. The purpose of this study was to examine the selected Psychosocial factors and their effects on students’ Academic Performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in public day secondary schools in Marani sub-county, Kisii county, Kenya. The specific objectives for this study were; to determine the effects of Peer Pressure on students’ Academic Performance in public day secondary schools of Marani Sub-County; to determine the effects of Parents’ Socio-economic Status on the students’ Academic Performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in public day secondary schools in Marani Sub- County; and to determine the effects of Students’ Attitude towards learning on students’ Academic Performance in public day secondary schools in Marani Sub- County. The study used descriptive research design. The target population from which the sample was drawn consisted of 29 public day secondary schools. The unit of analysis consisted of 1501 form four students, 29 principals and 301 teachers. A total of 30 teachers and 150 students was sampled using Random Sampling technique. Purposive Sampling was applied in selecting 9 Principals to participate in the study. Purposive Sampling enabled the researcher to reach the targeted sample quickly. The sample distribution was 150 Students, 30 Teachers and 9 Principals, giving a Sample size of 189 Respondents. The study used Questionnaires and Interview Guide as Data collection tools. The Questionnaires were given to Students and Teachers, while Interview Schedule was used when collecting data from Principals. This study employed Content validity and the Reliability coefficient of 0.8390 which was obtained using Cronbach’s Alpha and was taken as being a reliable measure of the instruments of data collection. Quantitative data analysis involved the calculation of Descriptive and Inferential statistics for all scales in the present study. Qualitative data analysis was done using content analysis .Data presentation was done using likert’s scale;- frequencies, pie charts, tables and percentages. The findings of this study indicated that there was a significant difference between the Students’ Peer Pressure and Academic Performance of the Students. It was established that the lower the Socio-economic status of the Parents, the lower the Academic Performance while the higher the Parents’ Socio-economic Status the higher the Academic Performance of the students. The students with negative attitude towards learning performed poorly in their Academics 45% Peer Pressure affected students’ Academic Performance in KSCE in Public day secondary schools in Marani Sub-County. 54% Parents’ Socio-economic Status affects Students’ Academic Performance in Public day secondary schools. 64 % Students’ Attitude towards learning affects their Academic Performance in KSCE in Public day secondary schools in Marani Sub- County. It was recommended that Parents need to monitor the kind of Peer Groups and what they watch from Media their Students have and find ways of enabling the Students’ to escape the bad effects which might fail them in their Academic Performance. Kisii county government in collaboration with Ministry of education should sensitize Parents with low level of education, to attend adult classes organised by the communities for them, to be explained about the reading culture, writing; nurture and monitoring Students’ Academic Performance in KCSE in Public day secondary schools, activities both at home and at school. The Principals and Teachers need to encourage Students to have peer teaching, peer guidance and counselling, consultative learning in order to have a positive Attitude towards learning in public Day schools in Marani sub-county 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/12350 TEACHER ATTRIBUTES INFLUENCING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF LEARNERS WITH SPECIFIC LEARNING DIFFICULTIES IN MAINSTREAM PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN KOIBATEK SUB-COUNTY, BARINGO COUNTY JEPKOECH KIMUGE Teacher attributes on mainstream education and their capacity to teach learners using SLD in mainstream classrooms influence learners with SLD. Learners with SLD develop more slowly intellectually than other learners of the same age due to difficulty with basic processes that are applied in understanding or using spoken language. Therefore, learners with SLD lag behind in academic performance. Performance of learners with SLDs from 2011-2017 in Koibatek has been persistently poor with majority of them scoring below 200 marks in K.C.P.E. The government advocated for mainstreaming classrooms in public primary schools. However, of learners with SLDs is below that of other learners. There are many factors which may contribute to poor performance; however, the objective of this study was to determine some of teachers’ attributes influencing academic performance of learners with SLD in mainstream public primary schools in Koibatek Sub-County, Baringo County. Specifically, the study sought to establish the influence of teachers’ perception on academic performance on learners with SLD, to find out the influence of teaching methods on academic performance of learners with SLD, to examine the impact of teacher training on academic performance of learners with SLDs and to find out challenges teachers face in teaching learners with SLDs in mainstream public primary schools in Koibatek Sub-County. This research was guided by the position theory. The researcher adopted a survey research design since it helps explain the existing situation, of ubiquity of learners with SLD. The target population for this study consisted of 77 head teachers and 80 class eight teachers from 77 public primary schools. A purposive sampling technique was adopted to identify the divisions with the highest number of learners with SLD. It was also used to select 8 head teachers, 10 class eight teachers and 20 class eight learners with SLDs from the two divisions of Koibatek Sub County. A pilot study was conducted in two mainstream primary schools in Koibatek sub-county which were not included in the final study to test the validity and reliability of the data collection instruments. A correlation coefficient of the items was calculated by determining Cronbach alpha coefficient. A Chronbach alpha coefficient of 0.81 was found. Primary data was collected using questionnaire as the main tool for teachers and interview schedules for head teachers. Document analysis schedule was used to collect information on learners’ joint examinations for the year 2018 academic performance and their general information as in the questionnaire in the appendix. Quantitative Data analysis was done through descriptive statistics in frequencies and percentages easy interpretation and understanding. Qualitative data was analysed through categorization of data into themes according to research objectives. Thematic analysis was done through discussion and was presented in form of narratives. The study found that teachers do not have the required knowledge and expertise to teach learners with SLD in mainstream education affecting their performance in the examinations. Teachers in mainstream schools lack teaching and learning resources for learners with SLD. The study recommends the training of all teachers to be able to teach learners with SLD, and support well in terms of administrative support, planning time and disability-specific teaching skills and resources. The study suggests further research to be conducted on an investigation of pre service teachers' attributions for learners with SLD. 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z